Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy

The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) is a non-profit human rights organisation based in London which promotes democratisation and human rights in Bahrain.[1] It was founded by Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Alaa Shehabi and Hussain Abdullah in 2013, and is funded by the Sigrid Rausing Trust[2] for the years 2016-2019. The National Endowment for Democracy approved a grant for the year 2015.[3]

Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy
FoundedOctober 2013 in London
TypeNon-profit
NGO
Location
  • London
ServicesProtecting human rights
FieldsHuman rights, non-violence, research, advocacy
Key people
Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei
Websitebirdbh.org

Leadership

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei

One of the founders of BIRD, Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, received attention for his advocacy work[4] and for protesting against visits by members of the Bahraini Royal Family to the United Kingdom. As a fugitive from Bahrain, he subsequently had his Bahraini citizenship revoked in January 2015 and has applied for asylum in the United Kingdom. In 2020, he was co-winner of the Index on Censorship "campaigning" award, for "[continuing] his work as a prominent critic of the Bahraini government ... despite the danger faced by him and his family."[5]

Campaigns

BIRD has led a number of campaigns to raise awareness about what they view as the political repression of the Bahraini pro-democracy movement. These have included campaigns around the Bahrain Formula 1[6] race and the candidacy of Sheikh Salman Alkhalifa for President of FIFA in 2016.[7]

BIRD has been active in campaigning for the release of Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab, who has been repeatedly imprisoned in Bahrain after criticising the Bahraini government.[8][9]

BIRD has worked closely with regional and international human rights organisations including Human Rights Watch, Reprieve, Amnesty International, UK-based Campaign Against Arms Trade, the Stop The War Coalition, Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), and Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB).[10][11]

References
  1. "About BIRD | Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy". birdbh.org. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  2. "Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy - Grantees - Welcome To The Sigrid Rausing Trust". www.sigrid-rausing-trust.org. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  3. "Regional: Gulf – NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY". www.ned.org. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  4. Alwadaei, Sayed Ahmed (7 July 2015). "Losing Leverage on Bahrain". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  5. "Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship". Index on Censorship. 16 April 2020. Archived from the original on 16 April 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  6. Weaver, Paul (3 April 2016). "Bahrain Institute raises concerns of human rights abuse with FIA". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  7. Ruiz, Rebecca R. (24 February 2016). "Shadow of Human Rights Abuse Follows Contender in FIFA Vote". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  8. Greenslade, Roy (26 January 2017). "Activist faces prison for saying journalists are banned from Bahrain". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  9. editor, Patrick Wintour Diplomatic (9 September 2016). "Boris Johnson urged to call for release of Bahraini campaigner". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 January 2017.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  10. "Event: Closing Civil Society, Religious & Political Space in Bahrain | Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy". birdbh.org. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  11. "Joint NGO Letter: Human Rights Situation in Bahrain". Human Rights Watch. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2017.


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